Not only did Simone Manuel make history and break racial barriers by becoming the first African American to win a gold medal in an individual event, which for her was the 100 meter frestyle, she broke the silence of Olympic athletes from the United States and the current state of race relations here in America.
“It means a lot, especially with what is going on in the world today, some of the issues of police brutality,”
Manuel said after the race, as reported by USA Today. “This win hopefully brings hope and change to some of the issues that are going on. My color just comes with the territory.”
Her post-race interview was one of the most emotional ones of the entire Olympics.
The significance of the moment was not lost on her, particularly considering the racial tensions back home. Just last year in Texas, the state that Manuel is from, a cop was suspended after brutally snatching a black teenager by the hair, wrestling her to the ground and sitting on her, outside of a neighborhood pool.
